Are you addicted to Ruby on Rails? Ruby on Rails (often called RoR or, simply, Rails) is an open source web application framework for the Ruby programming language. It is intended to be used with an Agile development methodology, which is often utilized by web developers for its suitability for short, client-driven projects.
While the Rails addict may be perfectly happy with his or her RoR application, some users might be less than thrilled with some Rails hosting environments. A good Rails host will provide Shell/SSH access, Fast CGI, SCGI and/or Mongrel support, the latest RoR releases, knowledgeable support staff with Rails documentation on board, and scalability options to meet future growth. Read the rest of this entry »
You haven’t made the front page of Digg yet and your site hasn’t been unexpectedly shouted-out by your peers, but your WordPress solution crashes constantly. Are you nodding your head in agreement? Then we might have some answers for you, as you may not be using a WordPress-friendly hosting solution.
First, your host must carry PHP version 4.3 or higher and MySQL version 4.0 or higher for the WordPress databases run smoothly. WordPress recommends Apache or Litespeed as the “most robust and featureful” server for running WordPress, but any server that supports PHP and MySQL will do. With that said, what happens if you do make Digg’s home page? Will your server handle the traffic spike?
If you don’t need the flexibility provided by a full Web host, you might consider getting a free blog on WordPress.com. However, many Web managers like the flexibility and freedom provided by a full Web host. Hence, the following ten hosts that are built to handle all the possible problems a WordPress fanatic might face. Some of the sites are recommended by WordPress, others are featured WHDB hosts, and others are choices made through our trial and error. Read the rest of this entry »
This is the first article in a series of six that will feature the top 10 web hosts for 2009 across six different categories.
Never mind the number of social media Web site memberships you have. Think about what it takes to support the viewers on a site like Twitter or YouTube. What if you needed that type of traffic support for your site? Even if you don’t plan for massive viewership, one day the New York Times may deride one of your comments, or Oprah might recommend your insights to her army of viewers. Can your current host withstand the traffic spike?
If you have doubts about whether your current Web host provider can handle massive traffic spikes or if you’ve already experienced down time because of a database overload from your blog, then you need more support. One answer to your dilemma includes grid or cluster hosting. One of the key benefits to both solutions is the ability to balance workloads while enabling recovery from inevitable hardware failures. When hardware or software is overtaxed, another server can pick up the burden. These systems are designed to pumping the juice. The difference between the two types of hosting is that grid hosting may not contain all servers in the same location, whereas all servers are in one location with cluster hosting.
If you’re looking for a reliable hosting system and you don’t mind paying a bit more for that reliability, the following ten host providers are worth your inspection. This Web host list, which focuses entirely on grid and cluster services, is compiled by price, from most to least expensive. This methodology does not mean that we value one host over another, either by price or by service. Read the rest of this entry »
